Microsoft's huge Windows 8 Pro upgrade discount ends today, but students can take advantage of another cheap upgrade option beginning on Friday.
"Microsoft's been running a deal since the Windows 8 launch in October where people who wanted to upgrade Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 to Windows 8 could pay only $39.99, but that deal will end [Jan. 31]," writes CNET. "As of February 1, upgrading an older Windows computer to Windows 8 will run you $119.99 for the standard edition, or $199.99 for Windows 8 Pro."
But students will be offered a different, less steep discount. "If you've got a valid .edu email account through a qualifying educational institution, you can upgrade from one of the aforementioned systems to Windows 8 Pro for $69.99 starting February 1 if you live in the United States -- a discount of 65 percent."
The student discount rolls out to other countries after a few weeks. Most of Western Europe and the English-speaking world (including Canada, Australia, the UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Russia, Brazil and Hong Kong) can get in on the discount starting Feb. 21.
Much of Eastern Europe, as well and Iceland, Indonesia and South Korea are eligible next, on Mar. 7.
The Middle East, South Africa and some of Asia catch up on Mar. 19, but some countries are just out of luck, like China, Japan, India, and most of Africa and Central and South America.
Of course, the upgrade is only for Windows 8 Pro, so users who don't want or need that version save $50, instead of $130. Still, Windows Pro versions tend to have all the features most users will want out of an operating system -- the standard versions tend to be woefully inadequate in some minor but aggravating way, so the student upgrade is still a great deal, if you can't get in on the $40 upgrade by the end of the day.
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